Gala night remembers President Ho Chi Minh’s homecoming visit 60 years ago
Ngoc Nga, Hong Bac -
(VOVWORLD) - In June, 1957, President Ho Chi Minh returned to his home village in NgheAn province for the first time, following 5 decades of devotion to Vietnam’s salvation. Uncle Ho, in his worn-out khaki clothes and rubber sandals, waved and smiled at local people who were waiting for him at home. A gala night was held recently by Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) in Nghe An province to remember his homecoming visit 60 years ago.
 VOV President Nguyen The Ky (in black shirt) and other senior officials attend the gala night in Nghe An province.
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President Ho Chi Minh’s love for his hometown and great personalities were the source of inspiration for the art performances. VOV President Nguyen The Ky said at the gala night: “Legendary songs about President Ho Chi Minh were accompanied by artistic choreography to depict the love between him and Nghe An residents. Organizers hope that this event can create an aesthetic trademark and reinforce people’s love for Uncle Ho”.
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Since President Ho Chi Minh left Nghe An province until he died in 1969, he returned home only 2 times. Artists tried their best to make their performances touch audience’s hearts. Emeritus artist Hong Duong, who directed the play “Uncle Ho’s home visit”, told VOV: “President Ho Chi Minh left his village at a young age and returned with white hair. The visit reminded him of his childhood memories and the love of family and neighbors. In this play, we use only music, body movements, and facial expressions, which requires great efforts from us to demonstrate the President’s sentiment toward Nghe An residents”.
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The gala night was a success despite unfavorable weather. The show featured already-known songs about Uncle Ho and also a new song called “Remember the day Unclo Ho returned home”, written by late song-writer Phan Lac Hoa. The event’s script writer Phan Huyen Thu said: “The lotus fragrance was used in the song “Remember the day Unclo Ho returned home” as a metaphor for the love between President Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnamese people. This is the first time I have produced a show in his home village so I decided to debut this song taken from my father’s posthumous manuscript”.
Songs, poems, stage design, and plays performed over Nghe An province’s folk songs were blended to make an impressive show, as Director Pham Viet Thanh put it: “This is the first time I’ve participated in a program celebrating President Ho Chi Minh’s homecoming visit. The President followed his father from Nghe An province to Hue as a child and travelled around the world in quest for national independence, then he returned home. I find the show very meaningful”.
Ngoc Nga, Hong Bac